Welcome to my latest Fall 2018 newsletter with a glimpse of what I am currently working on and recently completed projects.

Dear Reader,

It has been quite a while since my last newsletter. I have been so deeply involved in various projects that I simply did not get around to writing and putting one together for you. I always love to be very busy and active, but it is now really high time to give you a brief update on my recent artwork and activities, so it is with great pleasure that I present to you this October 2018 edition of the Ian Marsden Illustration Newsletter.

Below a selection of sample artwork and highlights from recent projects.

GOOGLE DOODLES

I was delighted and honored that I received a shoutout in the recent “Inside Google” Blog post celebrating 20 years of Google and the history of the Google Doodles. From 1999 to the end of 2000 I was the artist creating all Google Doodles. It is very nice to be remembered in this way.

Many thanks to Google and to Ryan Germick the Principal Doodle Design director.

Some really exciting news: I have signed a book deal with Schiffer Books for my first graphic novel and my first book in the U.S. market. It is for the graphic novel adaptation of “The Way I Was” the adult memoir of the late Broadway and Hollywood composer Marvin Hamlisch. The publication date for the graphic novel is spring 2020.

Many thanks for the excellent representation by my literary agent Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary

Article from Publisher’s Weekly 20/09/2018 below:

Here a world premiere sneak peek over my shoulder…

VIDEOS / EXPLAINER VIDEOS / WHITEBOARD VIDEOS

HAWLIK GESUNDHEITSPRODUKTE

I had the great pleasure of adapting a series of texts about the harvesting and production phases of their high-quality vital mushroom products for Hawlik Gesundheitsprodukte GmbH and transforming them into short videos with elegant watercolor illustrations and pleasing voice overs.

In a nutshell – Video production for Hawlik Gesundheitsprodukte GmbH

I was involved from the initial conceptual sketching phase and storyboard, then personally illustrated each scene and added light, unobtrusive animation and finally I produced a series of 6 different videos in 3 languages (English, German, French) for which I also supervised the recording of the voiceover in person in studios in Paris and Berlin.

The German voice was recorded in Berlin with the renowned actor Kaspar Eichel (German synchronization voice of Robert Redford, Richard Dreyfuss) at Livelive studio (in cooperation with the agency Sprecherdatei), the French voice was recorded in Paris with the Actor Daniel Beretta (French synchronization voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others) in collaboration with Titrafilm, the English voiceover was provided by David A. Watson and the agency GreatBritishVoices.

Having these videos available as a marketing tool for their website but also for trade shows and for their sales department is an invaluable asset. Highly complex processes and details of the production can be relayed to clients and buyers quickly and in a pleasant format in various markets/languages 24/7.

It was a lot of fun working on this rather extensive project and I am delighted that the client was very happy with the result and customer reactions have been extremely positive.

I am delighted to announce that I am collaborating on an ongoing series of training videos for the Johner Institut GmbH in Konstanz, Germany for their e-learning platform. I myself am providing the English language voice and I am also the spokesperson. The collaboration has been highly stimulating and creative and it is a true pleasure to work with Prof. Dr. Christian Johner on his videos for the Johner Institute teaching platform. More details on this project perhaps in a future update.

As part of the usual illustration services I provide, it has been my great pleasure over the past months to work with various agencies and companies / corporations, many of which are regular clients, on their needs for high quality, clear and appealing business graphics and illustrations for their external or internal communication needs. Here a few recent examples.

WINE LABELS

I am continuing the relatively new avenue of my career of wine logo and wine label designer and artist. My most recent design is a fun logo and label illustration for ‘Domaine Les Tuileries’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I like it a lot personally even though I dialed the “French” button up to 11, evidently.

“Sergei turned to marketing manager Susan Wojcicki, who found illustrator Ian Marsden and put him to work.
In May 2000, Ian created the first Google doodle. It featured—surprise, surprise—aliens making off with our logo.”

The Very First Google Doodles by Ian David Marsden
As a professional artist, illustrator, cartoonist and character designer, one of the highlights of my career so far is certainly that I happen to be the very first Google Doodle artist. 🙂

It was tremendous fun and I was totally delighted when Google contacted me to be their first artist. Back then I was working out of a one bedroom studio in Santa Monica, California and we were trying to keep our little two year old baby in diapers, so the whole magical world of the internet in it’s very first pioneer days was a wonderful and thrilling place to be and I was honored and thrilled that I was able to actively participate with Google and some of the other projects I helped realize back then. Even in those early days it was clear to me (and most other people) that Google was headed for greatness. 🙂

The first Illustrations I made for Google, were shown on April Fool’s Day 2000. Google launched the amazing MentalPlex Technologywhere you could just think of what you were searching for and Google would find it. I created a little character and made some animated GIFs to explain how it worked.

The third series of Google Doodles I designed were the Olympic Doodles for the Summer Olympics in Sydney – Google Doodles Summer Olympics in Sydney with the little ‘Kangaroodle” I also created for Google and for the event. I have never received more fan mail than I did during the days these olympic google doodles were online. Hundreds, probably thousands of e-mails from all over the world. All of them positive and friendly. 🙂

I am a freelance illustrator, designer, cartoonist and I also produce and animate whiteboard and explainer videos.
You can sign up for my newsletter in the box on the right. I send a newsletter roughly four times a year.
My artist portfolio, biography, client list and referrals/testimonials can be found on my homepage at:http://www.marsdenillustration.com

I hope you enjoy these latest updates including some exiting news about my graphic novel project, new clients, new YouTube drawing video tutorial and more.

Dear visitor to my blog,

2016 started off in a very active, busy and fun way for me.

Publishing

Some very exciting news for me personally, is that a graphic novel project I have been developing has been accepted and is now being represented by a New York literary agency. I look forward to telling you more about this very soon. Below is a little teaser sample:

Object Design / Licensing

RITZENHOFF

will be unveiling two new cappuccino cups with saucers, which I designed, at the Ambiente trade show in Frankfurt (12th to16th February 2016).

Ambiente is the world’s most important consumer goods trade fair, which boasts a globally unrivalled range of products in the Dining, Giving and Living areas.
The cups will be available in retail stores world-wide and also in the Ritzenhoff online shop here: LINK

New Projects

I regularly consult as an artist and designer on projects where I am bound to contractual discretion. This means that I am not at liberty to display or reference my work in my portfolio, blog or newsletter even for self-promotional purposes. Nevertheless, without divulging any further information or details, I am thrilled to have worked on projects for the following new clients.

Logos

Mensa

, the international High IQ Society has awarded their 2017 International Board of Director’s meeting (IBD) to the town of Nice, France. Out of a selection of proposed graphic solutions, I am delighted that my design was chosen as the official logo and CI for the event. (Logo horizontal landscape version below)

Design for the new logo for WO magnetic water purification devices.

Character Design

One of the departments of the University of Bern in Switzerland commissioned me a while ago, to design a series of likeable bear characters that should also be appealing to children. I added some new bears to the ever-growing family in January.

Another fun character design project I have been involved in for a few years is this one for the company Si. I was originally tasked to take their existing “Pfiffikus” mascot and give him a more dynamic and modern appearance, all the while retaining his work clothes and color scheme.

Over the years, several poses and applications of the character have been created. All versions are created as fully-scalable 100% vector artwork in Adobe Illustrator.

Labels / Packaging

I am currently designing a series of labels for exclusive, high quality oils and vinegars.

Leisure Projects

In-between projects or just to take a break (yes, I take breaks ðŸ˜€), I like to relax doodling in my sketchbooks or on loose scraps of paper around my studio (or tablecloths or whatever I can get my hands on). Some of these scribbles end up on my Facebook and other social media. (Another favorite source of distraction) Links at the bottom of this e-mail. in case you feel like joining me.

Here is another personal, non-commissioned art project. A modern interpretation of a moon symbol. (digital print on canvas 80 cm x 60 cm)

Printed media

I recently received a package with my copies of the printed Digades Dfreeeze app brochure featuring a multi-page comic I drew. I am very pleased with the result. You can read the whole booklet here: LINK

I designed and implemented several catalogs and price lists for my very good customer Sanafort, a producer of high quality vital mushrooms, teas and health supplements.http://www.sanafort.ch

Regular client Sanafort AG (a renowned Swiss producer of natural Reishi mushroom and other tonic herbs and food supplements) needed website and newsletter graphics for Christmas and the New Year and to advertise upcoming product launches and promotions.

As always they allowed me a lot of creative freedom and I think the results are quite elegant.

Welcome to my first newsletter of the year.In the past few months I have collaborated on various exciting projects, and welcomed new clients such as KHW, Ransom Publishing and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.

Allow me to present a few brief highlights.

CURRENTLY ON MY DRAWING BOARDRight now I am working on a series of T-Shirt Designs for WWE WrestlerJohnny Mundo
(Previously known as John Morrison).

Storyboard, illustrations and animatic animation for a brief video animation to be played language independently at trade shows and on-line.Client: KHW / WÃ¼stenschlitten. Click here to see the video: https://youtu.be/UWKJrpV4eWA

I was invited by Cyril Schicker to create the artwork and flyer for an evening with Dirk Bernemann at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich.Cabaret Voltaire – Dada Haus – Spiegelgasse 1 – 8001 ZÃ¼richhttp://www.cabaretvoltaire.ch/

PRESS / LAST BUT NOT LEAST

I was delighted that French Entrée Magazine did an interview and feature on me, where I create my artwork and the region where I live (very rural but wonderful).

May I stay in touch?

I send a personal e-mail newsletter from my studio around 4 times a year with my latest drawings and illustrations, updates on current projects and new clients. Please sign up below. Thank you.Email Address *